Looking for a little kitchen therapy? Spend an afternoon making pies.
Enjoy-
Amy

Apple Pie with Almond Filling
Makes one 9-inch pie

Prep time: 1 hour
Bake time: 35-40 minutes

Filling:
8 cups sliced, peeled Golden Delicious apples (about 3 pounds or 6 large apples)
½ cup apricot preserves
¼ cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons quick-cooking tapioca
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
4 ounces almond paste

Crust: pastry for a 9-inch pie

Topping:
1 cup flour
½ cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon 6 tablespoons butter or margarine
¼ cup sliced blanched almonds

Filling:
· In a large saucepan combine apples, preserves, granulated sugar, tapioca, lemon juice and 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon; cook and stir on medium heat until tapioca is clear, about 15 minutes. Cool while preparing crust and topping.
· Prepare crust. Roll and press crust into 9-inch pie plate. Do not bake.
· Heat oven to 375°F.
Topping
· In a medium bowl combine flour, brown sugar, lemon peel and 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon; cut in butter using pastry blender (or 2 knives) until crumbly.
· Roll almond paste between sheets of waxed paper to fit bottom of unbaked pie crust. Remove waxed paper. Place almond paste in pie crust.
· Spoon filling over almond paste. Sprinkle topping over filling. Sprinkle nuts over topping.
· Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until filling in center is bubbly and crust is golden brown. Cool to room temperature before serving.

Lattice Topped Cherry Pie
Makes one 9-inch pie

Prep time: 15 minutes
Bake time: 40 minutes

Crust: Pastry for a double crust

Filling
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons plus 1½ teaspoons cornstarch
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
1⁄8 teaspoon salt
½ cup peach nectar
2 tablespoons butter
3½ cups thawed frozen dry pack pitted red tart cherries, well drained

Crust:
· Prepare, roll and press bottom crust into 9-inch pie plate leaving overhang. Do not bake.
· Heat oven to 425°F.
Filling:
· In a medium saucepan combine sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon and salt; stir in nectar. Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened and clear. Add butter. Stir until melted. Cool.
· Add cherries. Stir until blended. Pour into unbaked pie crust. Moisten pastry edge with water.
· Cover pie with woven lattice top. Flute edge high. Cover edge of pie with foil to prevent overbrowning.
· Bake 30 minutes. Remove foil. Bake for 10 minutes.
· Cool until barely warm or to room temperature before serving.

Classic Lemon Meringue Pie
Makes one 9-inch pie
Lemon Filling:
4 egg yolks (reserve whites for meringue)
1/3 cup cornstarch
1½ cups water
1 1/3 cups sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons butter
½ cup lemon juice
1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest

1 (9-inch) pre-baked pie crust

Meringue:
Reserved 4 egg whites plus 2 additional egg whites
1 pinch cream of tartar
3 tablespoons sugar

· Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
· In a medium mixing bowl whisk egg yolks; set aside.
· In a medium saucepan, combine cornstarch, water, sugar, and salt. Whisk to combine. Bring top a boil over medium heat, stirring frequently. Boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat. Gradually add hot mixture to egg yolks, whisking constantly.
· Return mixture to saucepan. Reduce heat to low and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes.
· Remove from heat; stir in butter, lemon juice, and zest. Mix until well combined.
· Pour mixture into pie shell ; top with meringue while filling is still hot. Make sure meringue completely covers filling and that it goes right up to the edge of the crust.
· Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until meringue is golden.
· Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack. Cool completely before slicing.
Meringue:
Reserved 4 egg whites plus 2 additional egg whites
1 pinch cream of tartar
3 tablespoons sugar

· In the bowl of an electric mixer combine egg whites and cream of tartar; beat until soft peaks form. Gradually add sugar; continue beating until stiff peaks form, about 2 minutes. Spread over lemon filling.

Flaky Pie Dough
Makes 4 one-crust shells for 9” x 1¼ “ pan

1 pound (4 cups) all-purpose flour
1 cup Crisco shortening, cut into cubes and chilled
2/3 cup butter, cut into cubes and chilled
2/3 cup ice water
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon salt

· Mix ice water, sugar, and salt together until dissolved.
· Place flour in mixing bowl.
· Add cold shortening and butter.
· Working quickly and lightly, mix with fingertips until it resembles coarse meal. The largest pieces of fat will be pea-sized.
· Make a well in the center and add the ice water mixture all at once.
· With rubber spatula, mix briefly until the dough comes together.
· Form into roll and wrap in plastic.
· Refrigerate overnight before using.